How do you play the left right Christmas game?

Everyone holds a wrapped gift in a circle. Read one passage at a time aloud, and whenever the story says LEFT or RIGHT, everyone passes their gift one place that way. At the end, each person keeps the gift in their hands. Tap, click or press Space on the screen for the next passage.

How many players can play?

Any number that can stand or sit in a circle, from about four upwards. With very large groups, split into circles of eight to twelve and read the story in each one, or pass gifts along a table instead.

Can I read it from my phone?

Yes. Open the fullscreen link on your phone and read from its screen, tapping for each passage. On a live screen, the phone remote moves the TV from passage to passage while you read from the room.

Do we need wrapped gifts?

One small wrapped gift per person is the usual way. A gift can be silly, homemade or under a set budget; the game is about the passing rather than the presents.

OwnScreen

Left right Christmas game

The gift-passing party game on the big screen: everyone holds a wrapped gift and passes it left or right while you read the story aloud. Tap, click or press Space for the next passage.

Start Open fullscreen Customize in the editor

Free, no account needed. The link holds the whole sign.

Pass the parcel, one passage at a time

Everyone stands in a circle holding one wrapped gift. A reader reads the story aloud, and every time the word LEFT or RIGHT comes up, the gifts move one place that way. The story ends with one last pass, so everyone keeps whatever is in their hands.

Choose the short office story (about 200 words) or the longer family one (about 400). Open it fullscreen, then tap, click or press Space for each passage: it lands big enough for the room to read. On a phone, turn it sideways for larger text.

Both stories were written for OwnScreen and can be read to any group. They are party games rather than gambling, and no gifts need to be expensive: a box of chocolates, a mug or a homemade voucher all work.

Put it on a TV

Make it above. The preview is exactly what the screen shows.
Open it on the screen. Press Open fullscreen on that device, or send yourself the link. For a TV with an account, open ownscreen.com/tv and enter its code on your phone.
Leave it running. It fits any screen size and asks the screen to stay on.

Questions

How do you play the left right Christmas game?: Everyone holds a wrapped gift in a circle. Read one passage at a time aloud, and whenever the story says LEFT or RIGHT, everyone passes their gift one place that way. At the end, each person keeps the gift in their hands. Tap, click or press Space on the screen for the next passage.
How many players can play?: Any number that can stand or sit in a circle, from about four upwards. With very large groups, split into circles of eight to twelve and read the story in each one, or pass gifts along a table instead.
Can I read it from my phone?: Yes. Open the fullscreen link on your phone and read from its screen, tapping for each passage. On a live screen, the phone remote moves the TV from passage to passage while you read from the room.
Do we need wrapped gifts?: One small wrapped gift per person is the usual way. A gift can be silly, homemade or under a set budget; the game is about the passing rather than the presents.